The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-08-26

xui lonesome an didn't even make
rag baby IN ISpose ! might
have but ] Avs felt that mother
would ti'ih~ 4 was foolish II ! should
60 lugging around = doll Sometimes
] used 70 have crook-nrcked squash.
but didn't like 10 take one and hide
II and knew. II didn't. that by and
- Il would be cut up and cooked; and
that used TO worry me all tho time
played with II, 50 ] couldn't get any
comfort out Of it."
! leaned forward and took the doll |
from Miss Persis. for 1t was beginning
10 have a new interest for me.
"Where did you get this oneP"
said.
"Well. had to make believe had
one AT first. called her Amanda NAL
vina. after some one In book / read
once. Twas a lovely book. and
thought 1t was beautiful name. /
used to think about my doll great
deal. and TO talk to II; but it was kind
Of hard having 1t all make believe. l
wished ] had something to be Malvina.
used TO wonder il ! couldn't earn
money and buy one. Once did earn
money picking berries for the old min
ister's wife. but ! never dared tell
mother what ! wanted to spend 1t for.
and she seemed to expect me to lay 1t
away and put some Of il in the mis-
sionary box. l never had any money
given me except on Sundays cent
for the plate in Sunday school. used
to wonder II the heather wanted any
thing as much as wanted doll.
when grew up to be big girl !
used to 90 into the city sometimes with
mother. and then ! saw real dolls in
the store windows. Such lovely ones!
There was one window ! always passed
that had lot in it. They all looked a
good deal alike, so l picked out par
ticular corner. and called the one that
sat there Amanda Malvina. She al
ways seemed to look little different
from the Others. thought she looked
at me and knew me every time Icane'
/ just counted on going into town. W.
didn't 60 very often. ! felt 50 glad
when mother said she had to 60 into
the city; and for weeks afterwards
remembered how Malvina looked
When we got to the street ! used to b
so afraid there wouldn't be any dolls il
the window, or that the store hae
moved. or something. but she was al
ways there. in my corner"
Miss Persis was not thinking OF mi
now-nor talking 10 me.
Il was lonely enough when mothe
was alive, for she was always q quie
! sort Of q woman; but when she died !
I was good deal worse. The day
, came back to the house from the fun
eral 1t seemed to me as If every thin;
in the world had died. and the hous
was so still and strange that il scenes
to me that / just must have some on
: to speak to. II don't seem nice to a
. that thinking Of doll would cure sue
!. Ilonesomeness; but really. when
! thought Of Amanda Malvina It di
! make me feel As though had som
! one to turn to.
III II had to 60 to town pretty often
= right after that, for there was som
business abou. a little money tn;
:. mother had that had to be attended 4
y II was real comfort to see Armand
] Malvina so often. ! used to 60 pa
= the window when first got there, m
I when went back to the train ! use
I to stop and sort Of say goodbye
her. was afraid some one would n
: nee; but there were lots Of things
: the window. and Of course they didn
= know what was looking at. BY Al
\ by all the business was settled; an
! the last day Iwent in.l knew l could
l come again for long time. When
!. stopped At that window to say goo
1 bye, il Just didn't seem As though
!, could leave her. She looked as If q
! hated to have me 60. and when
- thought that may be she wouldn't
!. there next time, and may be Id new
j see her again, just walked right in
that store, and before l hardly kne
: it I'D bought her!
q '.All the way back in the train
= kept thinking how foolish was. al
7 how dreadful cxtravagant to spend
- much money on something ! didr
e need. was 50 worried that ! abo
y concluded that I'd 60 back the ne
~ day and see II the man wouldn't IA
, : her back.
,,se but when was home, and u
"a wrapped her. and really had her in n
, arms, couldn't have taken her ba
n any more than If she had been =
~ child.
~ ..why. the next morning when
woke up l guess felt nicer than ! cy
- did before in my life! just at frs
4, couldn't think what made me feel I
~ and then remembered that Aman
~ Malvina was in the chest Of drawe
m and when l took her out she rea
n. seemed TO smile.
AT first kept her in the drawer
the time. guess the first time TO
her out was one night l had an aw
49, toothache. couldn't 60 to sleep. a
-, SO. finally,.I laid her on the bed bes
y. me, where / could reach out and IA
4. hold 81 her when the pain was 80 q